James Wynn

This is a short review, and a summation of my complaints with the Kyoto International House.  At first I was unimpressed by the unfinished look the place presented: mildew on the blinds, most of the place is much need of paint, and there is a greasy shine on many surfaces.  I pushed past this initial evaluation and tried to find the bright side of things.  The people I’ve met are nice, and there is free internet in the lab.  As days a pressing to a week though, I have uncovered more and more frustrating nuisances.  No kitchen utinsels are provided, including pots, pans, spatulas; nothing.  There is no soap, nor anything to dry ones hands on at any sinks.

To be fair, I should point out the things you do get here.  You get a room, approximately 7′x12′, with accompanying desk, chair, bed, shelf, and ‘closet’.  You get two blankets and a pillow and two changes of sheets.  The room has an airconditioning unit, but no heater.  They provide you with a mailbox, and a small locker in the kitchen in which to store dry foods.  As I said before, there is a lab with free internet.  There is also a lounge with a TV, a few couches, and what appeared to be a VCR.

Perhaps I am being to hard on the place for such a cheap price, around 23000YEN/month, plus electricity.  I think many of my complaints are purely asthetic; if they would slap a new coat of paint on the walls, clean the kitchen a little better, and provide some soap and paper towels at the sinks I would be much more content in living here.  I would probably even be willing to part with a little extra yen.

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